An occasional journal of recipes, restaurant and market reviews, and just musing on food here in the high-tech heartland.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Another Taiwanese dinner

We had Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup against last night (see my recipe, here) and while it was excellent I've since discovered other variants with such additions as tomatoes and fermented bean curd. Might add some of those for the New Year's Eve version. Fermented bean curd is one of those ingredients that tastes much better in recipes than it does on its own, although I don't mind the taste of it right out of the jar.

I also tried making steamed fish for the first time. It was pretty good, though my presentation needs work. I should have sliced the green onions and ginger much thinner:

The recipe is really very simple. Start by trimming the fins and tail off your fish and making fine julienne strips of ginger and scallions.

Make three or four cuts on each side of the fish, stopping just short of the bone. Sprinkle each side, and the inside, with salt.

Lay the fish on a plate on a bed of scallions. .Place a layer of ginger on top of the fish, and pour a tablespoon of rice wine or dry sherry over the fish. Let marinate for a few minutes.

Place the fish in a steamer for 10 minutes. Turn off the steamer, let cool for a few minutes, and remove the fish. Drain the excess liquid off the plate.

Remove the ginger, which has given up all its flavor, and add a fresh layer of ginger on top of the fish, and a layer of cilantro.

Heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil (best) or canola or grapeseed oil to just where it is almost smoking, and pour over the fish. Serve.